Double Exposure Portrait

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  Step 1

  Start by opening a portrait photo that you like in your favourite photo editing proram. You can use any photo you like but if it's already quite an interesting photo that you love, the results will be even better. Here's one of me at a wedding recently blowing some bubbles.

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  Step 2

  Now create a second layer on top and paste in your contrasting photo. Something with a lot of texture, such as a nature photo or city scene work well but you can get creative and try all kinds of things. I'm going to use a photo I took of the Tokyo skyline.

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  Step 3

  Set the blending mode on the top contrasting layer to Screen so that your portrait shows through.

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  Step 4

  Reposition, scale and rotate the top contrasting photo until you find a position you like. I tried to positioned mine so that the light trails from the traffic would look like they were being blown through the bubbles.

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  Step 5

  Hide the top layer and then select the focus point of your bottom portrait layer. I made my focus the bubbles and my face.

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  Step 6

  Feather your selection by about 150 pixels.

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  Step 7

  Select the inverse.

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  Step 8

  Darken the outside edges of your focal point.

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  Step 9

  Now, desaturate your portrait layer.

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  Step 10

  Adjust the levels to give the portrait a strong contrast, making the light areas bright white and dark areas dark black.

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  Step 11

  Make the top contrasting layer visible again.

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  Step 12

  Use a soft eraser brush set to 50% opacity to erase the top photograph around any areas you'd like to bring out of the portrait, such as the eyes, nose, mouth and bubbles in this photo.

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  Step 13

  Use a soft paint brush set to 50% selected with the colour black to paint any areas on the bottom portrait layer that you don't want to shine through.

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  Step 14

  Adjust the levels and saturation of the finished photo until you're happy with it and then you're done!

Comments

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Creative Khadija · Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory, PK · 20 projects 30th November 2014

Awesome! this is a brilliant idea

Cat Morley · London, GB · 1432 projects 1st December 2014

Thanks so much!

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PixieFey · Chester, England, GB · 150 projects 29th November 2014

Love this how to.
I only have an old version of PSE and tried it tonight. My results were diabolical. A combination of a poor choice of photos plus me. Never mind I'll have another go another time.

Cat Morley · London, GB · 1432 projects 29th November 2014

It's a little tricky finding just the right two photos to use but it's awesome when you do. I can't wait to see how yours turn out!

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